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They have sales people.

They just recycle this same story every year and get tons of press for it.

Depends how you define "sales staff". They need to sell their product in order to make money and they certainly have employees who provide a conduit for customers to buy JIRA.

Their sales costs are low, but maybe not having more sale people is negatively affecting revenue growth?

A single anecdote disproves "rare"?

Good for them. How many other companies have tried the same thing and failed?